Miss Jewett had noticed the coolness between Betsy and Elizabeth and was sorry. These two were her favorite pupils although she tried not to show partiality. As she was some day to marry Betsy’s uncle, Mr. Robert Tyson, she often discussed her scholars with him. “I wonder what is wrong between Elizabeth and Betsy,” she said to him one evening. “Has Betsy confided in you?”
“Haven’t had any report,” returned Mr. Tyson. “They sometimes have these little flare-ups, but they don’t last.”
“I believe all girls do have them,” said Miss Jewett reflectively. “It seems to go with youthful friendships. Perhaps the charm of making up makes them more ready to quarrel. This time it seems rather serious. I notice the two have scarcely spoken to one another for two whole days, though they sit side by side.”
“That does look serious. What about Bess Ferguson? Which side does she take?”
“Oh, she has gone over entirely to the new element. I have Mrs. Wilmer’s niece, Corinne Barker, you know, and she has made quite a sensation.”
“In what way?”
“Rather a silly way. I don’t like her influence with my sweet, simple girls. She is putting wrong notions in their heads and is stirring up discord, I am afraid. Of course, one must expect girls to admire trinkets, but I don’t think it is good taste for them to put them on when they come to school. This Corinne Barker enjoys nothing so much as making a display and is the envy of the whole school. She wears her hair in an abominable fashion which I was amused today to see imitated by nearly every girl in school. Even Betsy came with frowsy locks pulled down over her pretty low forehead. It gave her an uncanny look for she has such a mite of a face that it seemed to leave her with only half enough.”
“I’ll venture to say aunt Em didn’t observe it,” returned Mr. Tyson with a little laugh. “I must look tomorrow morning and see for myself.”
But there was nothing wrong with Betsy when her uncle next saw her, for her hair was arranged in its usual neat fashion and she appeared in good spirits. “Isn’t aunt Emily down yet?” she inquired as she came into the breakfast-room where her uncle was looking over the morning paper.
“Not yet, but we needn’t wait. You can begin on your orange if you like.”